Brexit: John Bercow says there is 'arguable case' government has committed contempt by failing to publish legal advice
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Your support makes all the difference.Theresa May is facing a constitutional crisis after six opposition parties joined forces to accuse the government of contempt of Parliament over its failure to publish its full Brexit legal advice.
The Commons Speaker, John Bercow, said there was "an arguable case" that the government had committed contempt, after he was asked by Labour, the SNP, the Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru, the Green Party and the DUP to begin proceedings.
Earlier, Attorney general Geoffrey Cox admitted the UK could be locked into a customs backstop under the prime minister’s Brexit blueprint.
Mr Cox confirmed that neither the UK nor EU would be able to unilaterally end the Northern Irish backstop arrangement if it came into force, in an address to MPs.
It also comes as The Independent’s petition calling for a Final Say referendum on Brexit was delivered to Downing Street, after more than a million people backed the campaign.
See below for live updates:
Nicola Sturgeon, who held talks with Theresa May today, has urged the prime minister to change course to avoid an "utterly disastrous" no-deal Brexit.
The Scottish first minister said a "workable alternative" will be urgently needed if "the PM's deal is defeated in the Commons, as is widely expected".
She added the SNP would join other parties in calling for an extension Article 50 process and would propose an amendment to the meaningful vote later this week".
Downing Street said the prime minister had spoken to Ms Sturgeon about support for the government's Brexit deal from "from fishermen, farmers and business leaders".
Ms May "urged the first minister to listen to these voices in their support of the deal as opposed to risking a no-deal Brexit or going back to square one of negotiations", a spokesman added.
Commons Speaker John Bercow has told MPs he believes there is an "arguable case that a contempt has been committed" by the government over its failure to publish its full Brexit legal advice.
We're wrapping up our live politics coverage for today. Thanks for reading.
Here are the key points from a day which has left Theresa May facing a full-blown constitutional crisis:
Opposition parties write joint letter calling for government to be held in contempt
'Arguable case' that government committed contempt, says Speaker
'I will still have my job after MPs vote on Brexit deal', prime minister insists
Campaigners deliver Final Say petition with 1.5m signatures to Downing Street
PM's Brexit adviser says backstop is 'slightly uncomfortable necessity'
Theresa May told 'no legal guarantee' UK could withdraw from backstop
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